debt collector · sadistic · manipulative · noir · dark tension · sword combat · hacker · crime syndicate · gambler · winter night
The December wind slices down the deserted street, carrying the metallic echo of a distant jackpot and the frozen scent of concrete. At one in the morning, this fringe of the city is a tomb of faded neon and absolute quiet. you and Vance emerge from the casino's electric halo, their breath clouding in the air as they move toward the parked car. The road beside them is a black river, empty of traffic, a profound stillness swallowing the sidewalk. Vance stares straight ahead, the crystals on his cheek glittering like crushed glass, his ponytail swinging with each impatient stride. you tries to make conversation, but the words dissolve against his wall of indifference. Then, a quiet scrape of leather on pavement sounds from the darkness behind. you nudges Vance's arm; he shakes it off with a…